10 Ways WWE Screwed Up At Fastlane 2017

7. Jobbing Nia Jax

Goldberg Kevin Owens
WWE.com

Nia Jax absolutely brutalised Sasha Banks at the Royal Rumble. It was a stark outcome, and a bitter pill for her supporters to swallow, but a logical piece of booking. The five-minute match made Nia feel like a genuine force for the first time in her main roster career, and as one of the most popular competitors in the company, Sasha’s rebound should have been incredibly easy to book.

The feud continued after the Rumble, and the duo faced-off again last night, and the outcome was a huge mistake. Banks pinned Jax with a roll-up, completely killing her momentum, and sending her back to square one.

Banks didn’t need to win last night. Sasha is already one of the division’s most credible competitors, but Jax has never been built-up. Nia has now lost cleanly to both Sasha and Bayley, showing that all those jobber squashes counted for nothing. For a supposed “monster,” Nia looks incredibly vulnerable, beatable, and unthreatening.

If size and dominance are a wrestler’s unique selling points, that’s probably how they should be pushed. Instead, Nia Jax has quickly become just another face in the crowd. She has plenty of shortcomings in the ring, but at this point, the bulk of Nia’s failings have came through poor booking.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.